The cultural attack on Tao
Events of recent weeks indicated how much our culture has changed. Dr. Jefrey Breshears has written a book called “C. S. Lewis on Politics, Government and the Good Society.” It is a formidable work helping one to understand what has and is happening to our society. He introduces the reader to the ancient Chinese concept of Tao, meaning “The Way,” or the natural order of things that govern the universe. He cites numerous law codes that have prevailed in various societies through the centuries. These are basic in philosophy, theology and social science. They summarize the dignity of every human being.
These are moral laws that are no longer generally accepted in our society. However, they are sensed intuitively by everyone as a result of being made in the image Dei (the “image of God”).
George Orwell in his novel “1984” identifies our cultural drift by his term “Newspeak” as an alliance of postmodernism and political correctness propagated in our society by secular speech codes on college and university campuses, in businesses and government. This obscures Tao by imposing one value over an existing natural law.
Nazism imposed racial and cultural values above all other values, Communism elevated the idea of social equality over longstanding values. In our society “tolerance” has grown to mean unrestricted approval and acceptance; anything goes. This has redefined what is known as the constructive Platonic tirade: “The True, The Good, and The Beautiful.” To save our society the opposite, which is the destructive tirade of “the untrue, the evil, and the ugly,” must be identified as being what they are. Otherwise, the admirable and constructive Platonic tirade is forever lost. Such would lead to the destructive trinity prevailing. This will bring about its own destruction, just as Nazism and Communism led to their own end.
The importance of reversing this degradation was noticed by these Founders.
Benjamin Franklin: “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.”
George Washington: “The foundations of our National policy will be laid in the pure and immutable principles of private morality.”
John Adams: “We have no government armed with powers capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion.”
James Madison: “We have staked the whole of our political institution upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, according to the Ten Commandments.”
John Adams: “Public virtue cannot exist without private, and public virtue (which) is the only foundation of Republics.”
In the appendix of “The Abolition of Man,” Lewis lists these principles of Tao.
♦ The Law of General Beneficence, show proper respect toward all, ‘Love your neighbor as your self’ (Lev. 19:18), and ‘Do unto others as you would have them do to you’ (Matthew 7:12).
♦ The Law of Special Beneficence. Love and care for family members: parents, spouse, children, and relatives.
♦ Duty to Parents, Elders, and Ancestors. Duty to Children and Posterity.
♦ The Law of Justice, Equal justice under law.
♦ The Law of Good Faith and Veracity. Honesty and truthfulness in one’s relations with others.
♦ The Law of Mercy. Care for the poor, the sick, widows, orphans, the elderly, and others with special needs.
♦ The Law of Magnanimity. Courage and honor in living and facing death.
Only one of these has Scripture in it, though all are scriptural.
PS: Jefrey Breshears grew up as a disciple of mine. I delight to say I am now a disciple of his.
The Rev. Nelson Price is pastor emeritus of Roswell Street Baptist Church and a former chairman of the Shorter University board of trustees.